


The Making of a Princess

by 1_NoName_among_many



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: (to the original work), (to this series), Canon Compliant, Catherine's sisters also get a mention, Gen, I named them Henrietta and Mary Margaret in that order, I should probably clarify that the "Major Character Death" happens off screen, I'd name him here but it's kinda spoilers, Pre-Canon, Prequel, Queen Mary's Consort features prominently
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24067870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1_NoName_among_many/pseuds/1_NoName_among_many
Summary: The title of "Prince of Wales" is reserved for the heir apparent. Before 2011, this meant eldest son, or eldest son's eldest son if eldest son died with issue, or second son if eldest son died without issue. Theoretically, if the eldest son died with daughters but no sons, the heir apparent could be female, but this hasn't happened in our history, nor does it apply to Princess Catherine's situation.So how did Princess Catherine become Princess of Wales in her own right?
Relationships: Catherine Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor/Arthur Fox, Queen Mary III (RWRB)/Original Character (her prince consort)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As you can probably guess, this is a prequel work. 
> 
> The fact that Prince Henry of Wales's style is just that means that he is the son of the current Prince of Wales and does not have his own substantive title (in modern tradition, that, in turn, means he's a bachelor). But he derives his claim to the throne from his mother's line which means Princess Catherine is Princess of Wales in her own right - as I claimed way back in the introductory note of my first fic here. 
> 
> This isn't actually the problem the summary makes it out to be. Since Princess Catherine has no brothers (or else Prince Henry wouldn't be under nearly so much pressure) and the Perth Agreement happened in 2011, and was finally and totally made into law in 2015, Prince Henry of Wales would be Prince Henry _of Wales_ for the entirety of the book's events, including the Rio Olympics. 
> 
> However, Henry also says that "in school, we all went by Wales". This courtesy (rather than going by the absolutely monstrous Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, or more likely just Fox or Windsor) is only afforded to the children of the Prince of Wales. And last I checked, Henry is only 22/23 in the book, so he spent a good chunk of his school years - and Philip and Bea, who are part of Henry's "we all", an even larger chunk - before 2011. This implies that Princess Catherine was Princess of Wales _before_ the Perth Agreement. And _that_ needs explaining.

Queen Mary was busy sorting through the various bills and other proposals that Parliament sent her way, and at the bottom of the stack, which she of course flipped over, lay the dreaded bill.  
"Oh, how I hate that Lancelot fellow!"  
"Who, may I ask, is Lancelot?"  
"Just look at this!" She shoved the bill across to her consort.  
"A Bill to allow Her Royal Highness Catherine, Princess Royal to marry Arthur Fox and allow for the inheritance of their issue," the middle-aged prince read aloud. "Mary, dear, what did you expect?"  
"That this would be another one of that little brat's phases!"  
"Your Majesty!"  
"I'm sorry, love, but I always hated her mood swings. Never could control them at the best of times, and that, that _Mordred_ just leans into them, tearing this family apart!"  
"Mary, darling," the consort said with a soothing tone, "all due respect, but it's not his fault."  
"I know, I know, he just exacerbates the problem. It's always been Catherine's fault, the hellion."  
"It hasn't been hers either."  
The queen leveled her gaze at her husband. "What are you saying?"  
"I'm saying that if you want to keep your daughter, you should allow this. Frankly, you should have never forbidden the marriage in the first place."  
"I know, I know, so she wouldn't be so stubborn about it now, but I couldn't risk it! Not after what happened to Mary Margaret."  
"That's not what I meant, dear," the consort said. "Arthur is a good man, for Catherine, for this country and in general. He's nothing like that tennis instructor Mary Margaret ran off with, the one that got her into that fatal accident."  
"Well he's no Harald!" the queen countered  
"That's an unfair comparison. Harald is the King of Norway."  
"Exactly! What better match could there be?"  
"Someone who isn't a second cousin?"  
"Twice removed!"  
"On your side, not mine. Besides, I have it on good authority that Henrietta only chose him so she'd have an excuse to get out from under your stifling thumb."  
"Hmph." Queen Mary let the subject drop. "I have half a mind to waltz right into Parliament and dissolve it this instant. The insolent curs."  
"Mary, love, if you do that you'll have another civil war on your hands, and that never bodes well."  
"True. Besides, it's not their fault. The people just want James Bond to be King of England."  
"More importantly, Catherine wants Arthur to be her consort. And she's willing to use every dirty trick she can get her hands on. Much like a certain queen I know and love."  
"What are you implying?"  
"You and Catherine are more alike than you care to admit, love," the prince consort stated rather baldly. "True, you're more level-headed and career oriented than our daughter, but she's just as ambitious, and she's very good at getting what she wants. Like, for example, married to the love of her life."  
The queen considered her options. Then she took up the bill that started this whole discussion. "Alright, fine. I'll consider what ... Arthur," the name left a bad taste in her mouth, "has to offer. And this bill."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can guess, the "Bill to allow Her Royal Highness Catherine, Princess Royal to marry Arthur Fox and allow for the inheritance of their issue" will become the compromise that allows Catherine and Arthur to marry that I came up with back in "Work in Progress". 
> 
> I'm including this chapter here more for the exposition than anything else.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a small time skip between these chapters. Just under a year, in fact. Philip was conceived close on the heels of the Royal Marriage Compromise 1993, as it is short tilted, being given royal assent.

The nation was in mourning. Yet another tragedy had struck the royal family. The Prince Consort had died.  
Thankfully, it was a peaceful death - stroke in his sleep - but it was jarring nonetheless.  
Queen Mary and Princess Catherine were commiserating in Buckingham Palace. "Oh, poor Dad. It's just so upsetting," Catherine said. Her face was streaked with tears, but she wasn't presently crying. Her emotions were funny that way.  
Queen Mary sighed in assent. "I know. I will miss him dearly. And it's such a pity your heir will never get to meet him."  
The princess patted her swollen belly. "Yes, it's such a shame my child won't get to meet his grandfather," she said with a certain amount of ice.  
The queen noticed. "I meant no malice at the wording. Unless you'd rather I go back on our little deal with Parliament?"  
"Oh, no, no, but my children are family first. Not just fodder for the throne."  
"Whatever you say."  
There was a lull in the conversation.  
The queen broke it. "No, I won't remarry."  
"I didn't say anything."  
"You didn't have to. But I reiterate, I won't remarry." The queen stood up and looked out the window. "The days of diplomatic marriages are over so I can confidently state that you are my heir apparent."  
"I'm... sorry?"  
"Besides, I've been to Harley street. The time has long since passed."  
"Mum, what are you saying?"  
"You're the only family I have left Catherine," The queen clarified. She walked over to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. "My husband is dead. Mary Margaret is dead. Henrietta is as good as dead. And you are well on your way to running out on me."  
"With good reason!"  
"I know. Your father always argued your side. And ever since the time passed, he wanted you to have this." The queen handed her heir and daughter the piece of paper.  
It was decorated with the royal seal, and bore the royal signature. It was a letter patent. But not just any letter patent.  
"I, Mum, the Princedom of Wales? the Earldom of Chester? the Duchy of Cornwall?" Catherine was almost speechless. Almost. "But I'm the Princess Royal!"  
"So? There is no law that says the Princess Royal can't be the Prince of Wales."  
"I'm only the heir pre- oh." Realization struck.  
"Like I said, the time has long since passed. You are no longer under the threat of a younger brother pulling the throne out from under you. As far as God is concerned, you are the heir apparent. And His is the only opinion that matters."  
"But why are you only doing this now?" Catherine asked.  
"For one, with my consort dead, I can deflect any awkward questions with 'I'm a widow'."  
"You would put that for one."  
The queen gave her daughter a stern look.  
"Sorry."  
"For two," Queen Mary continued, "it was the last thing we argued about. And, well, the words 'over your dead body' may or may not have been used."  
Catherine burst out laughing. It was an inelegant, snorting affair, hardly the laugh of a princess. "Oh, Mum, you didn't!"  
"I did," the queen admitted. "Let it never be said I'm not a woman of my word."  
"Of course not."  
Another lull passed.  
The queen broke this one too. "Have you decided on a name for the child?"  
"We both agreed his first name should be after his grandfather, my father."  
Queen Mary thought it over. "Prince Philip of Wales. That does have a nice ring to it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Philip Arthur William Henry. Those are the names I gave Philip in "Half a King, at Best". Back then, I said Arthur was for his father and Henry was for his father's play, and William was "just a fourth name" that turned out to be prophetic. But why wasn't Arthur his first name? or Henry? Both are suitably regal, after all. I don't know what was going through Casey McQuiston's head, but I decided he was named after his grandfather. His recently dead grandfather. 
> 
> That, by the way, was why I refrained from naming Queen Mary's prince consort in the tags. Not much of a reveal, I admit, but I felt it was apropos.


End file.
